The Night I Met Him
by LitLover 101
Summary: Octavia Salvatore and Kol Mikaelson were not the fairy tale, love at first sight or the ride off into the sunset couple. They were dark, defiant and real. They were a forever kind of love. Too bad they did not know that when they met. AU/AH Requested story for KolMikaelsonLover.
1. Chapter 1

Lauren Salvatore and Kol Mikaelson were not the fairy tale, love at first sight or the ride off into the sunset couple. They were dark, defiant and real. They were a forever kind of love. Too bad they did not know that when they met. AU/AH Requested story for KolMikaelsonLover.

****Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries TV show. That honor goes to Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson. Lauren Salvatore is my own creation but credit for the name goes to KolMikaelsonLover.****

**Hello, my lovely readers. This is a fic requested by KolMikaelsonLover. If you would like to know who would play her on the show KML tells me that it would be Shay Mitchell. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing the first chapter. On with the show...**

Chapter 1: The Night I Met Him

Sitting in the middle of her bed, Lauren Salvatore thought of how bored she was. She hated her life. She hated the tiny town of Mystic Falls and resented being stuck in her room while her older brothers were out living their lives. Damon was attending his first year at Whitmore College and Stefan was out with his friends, Caroline Forbes, Matt Donavon and Tyler Lockwood. This left Lauren at home alone because their work-alcoholic father was off doing what he did best, making sure that they were one of the wealthiest families in town. Or maybe he just didn't want to spend time with the daughter who reminded him of his dead wife.

Rolling her eyes, Lauren glared at her text book until the pages began to smoke. When flames erupted from the text Lauren jumped from the bed and grabbed the fire extinguisher that she kept close by in case something like this happened. "Lauren," Stefan called and Lauren groaned as she stared at the smoking text.

"Just a minute," she called, running a hand through her hair before throwing the book into the metal waste bin. Striding to the door, she strode out into the hall to greet her older brother a wide, innocent smile. "Hey, you're home early. Didn't meet any new girls to hassle?" she teased with a wide grin. She knew that Stefan could find a girl if he really wanted to but since Elena Gilbert, the girl he had been crushing on had started dating Damon, he had been depressed.

Lauren hated to see either of her brothers unhappy and hoped that Stefan would find someone soon. Maybe they could go on a road trip that summer to look for colleges to attend and he would meet a nice girl. Not that she would be going to college very soon since she was sixteen and was a sophomore at Mystic Falls High. But Stefan had plenty of reason to look for colleges since he would be entering his senior year next year and had already taken the ACT and SAT. He was going to be a doctor. Yes, Stefan had his life all planned out, unlike his baby sister who had no idea what she was going to do.

"Is that smoke I smell?" Stefan asked, wrinkling his nose and sniffing the air. "Are you smoking again?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do I look like I've been smoking? My skin is flawless and so are my nails? See," she held up a hand to demonstrate the lack of damage.

Stefan gave Lauren a skeptical look. "Uh huh. So you've been doing magic." Lauren's body deflated as she looked at the floor. "You know that father does not like it when you do magic. You could hurt yourself or worse someone else."

"Yeah, I'm totally going to hurt a ton of people in an empty house when I'm all by my lonesome because my whole family has other plans," Lauren replied drily.

Sighing, Stefan walked over to his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Do you want to go out tonight?"

Lauren's eyes widened. Stefan rarely took her out with him. He was usually too busy with his friends to deal with his kid sister who had been the product of Giuseppe's brief, second marriage to Lauren's mother who had lost her life shortly after giving birth in a plane accident. Perhaps that is why their father hid himself in his office because he could not bear to grow too close to his children in case they were taken from him as his wives had been, all too soon.

"You really want to take me somewhere?" Lauren breathed, waiting for Stefan's answer as he rocked on his heels and then nodded with a grin. Jumping up and down, Lauren squealed with joy. "Oh, my God. Where are we going? Can we go out of town and stay somewhere for the weekend and then like get on a plane and go to Chicago or better yet New Orleans? I always wanted to go to a jazz club. Oh, please, Stef, please?"

"How about we settle for the Grill?" Stefan suggested. Lauren groaned and stared at the ceiling.

"Really? The Grill? That is one of the most boring places on earth second only to school, third only to this house when Damon is not here to raise hell," Lauren moaned as she returned to her room to collect her purse and jacket.

"Did someone say that things are only interesting when Damon is around?" a voice boomed from the hallway and Lauren's head shot up and her ears perked. Before she knew what she was doing, she was flying into the hallway and flinging her entire body into her oldest brother's arms.

"Damon!" she exhaled with glee and then she pulled back and punched him on the arm.

"Ouch! Whoa there, slugger, watch where you're aiming with those tiny fists," Damon teased, rubbing the area that his sister's punch had landed on. "You ready to get to the Grill, honey?"

"Are you, honey?" Lauren replied with a light laugh as Damon slung an arm around her shoulders.

"As ready as I'll ever be now that the reckless and aimless trio of Salvatores are reunited. Let's go. I'm buying us drinks tonight since I got my fake I. D." Damon announced as they exited the house and headed toward his Camaro.

"You're going to get arrested," Stefan pointed out but he was grinning as he claimed shot-gun and Lauren was forced to claim the backseat. Sometimes she felt like the third wheel to Damon and Stefan's little couple. There was nothing like being the half-sister and being reminded of it all the time in little ways that she was not even sure that her brothers were aware of. It made her pine for the day that she had a family of her own, where there was none of this half stuff. One day she would have her own baby who would be wholly hers. What she did not know was how very soon that wish would be fulfilled.

When Damon stopped the car, he got out and he and Stefan walked slightly ahead, talking about Whitmore and how Stefan should look into attending there since they had a great pre-med program. Shaking her head, Lauren did not pay too much attention as Damon held the door for her but was still talking to Stefan like she wasn't even there.

Feeling the urge to punch Damon again, Lauren settled for narrowing her eyes and glaring at the other patrons of the bar. Her gaze stopped on a young man who did not look old enough to be drinking, but was sitting at the bar with a tiny glass in front of him. He was examining the other patrons of the bar with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Something about his expression reminded her of a cat who was looking for a mouse but was taking its time to find the exact mouse that he wanted to devour that night. As if he could hear her thoughts, his head shifted to take her in and she gulped. He looked young and ordinarily she would find him handsome with his dark, sun-lightened in spots, hair and his strong bone structure with dark, brown eyes that made her think not of chocolate, but of blood when it had darkened as a stain on the body of a… 'What the hell? Where are these thoughts coming from?' Lauren questioned herself.

"Lauren, what do want to drink?" Damon questioned her absently as he typed away on his phone. By the smile on his face she figured he was texting either Elena, Alaric or Enzo.

"I…" Lauren began. She had planned to say she wanted a bourbon because that was usually what she stole out of their father's cabinet when she was alone but she could not seem to gather her thoughts because the stranger's gaze was still on her. "I want a shot of vodka," she finally said and Damon looked at her with a quirked eyebrow.

"You sure about that?" Stefan asked.

Lauren smirked at him, "I'm not a baby anymore, Stef. Now, go get my drink, Damon, before I turn old enough to buy it myself."

Damon walked toward the bar and Lauren noticed that the strange man at the bar was speaking to him. Feeling herself shiver involuntarily, Lauren could not figure out why this man was making her feel frightened. But he was also making her feel… she wasn't sure what but if she was forced to use a word, it would be excitement. He was making her feel alive for some reason that she could not understand since she didn't even know him.

"Are you cold?" Stefan asked, giving Lauren a look of concern. "You want me to go outside and get your jacket?"

"No, I can get it," Lauren said with a chuckle.

"Are you sure?" Stefan replied, his brows wrinkling together.

"Yes, I'm sure," Lauren replied firmly with a nod. Walking away from her brother and out into the pitch black night, Lauren felt her body begin to tremble. Maybe she had been slightly more sure of herself than she should have been when she exited the bar. There were far too many shadows that were creeping around out here and too many sounds she could not identify.

It was a good thing that this town was so safe, otherwise Damon might have locked his car, Lauren was thinking as she pulled the back door open and leaned over to grab her jacket. As she placed her hand over it, she felt a hand slide over her mouth and her body being flipped over in mere seconds. Staring up into the eyes of the stranger in the bar, Lauren felt her body tighten as he stared down at her with that same smirk as before. "Hello, darling," the stranger greeted her as he adjusted his position so that her arms and legs were dangling where she could defend herself, which meant that either he was overconfident or he was sure that there was no way that she could defend herself. "What's say that you and I have a bit of fun? Shall we?" Lauren felt his lips touch her neck and then she felt his teeth begin to pierce her skin. For a moment she wanted to give in, it didn't hurt nearly as badly as she would expect and she felt his fingers intertwining with hers as she let out a low gasp.

While her thoughts whirled in a rush, she finally settled on one. She had to stay alive. "Get off of me," Lauren growled and she could hear the blood sucker chuckle. The vampire. Yes, apparently there was a vampire in sleepy Mystic Falls, but did not move a muscle until she concentrated and then he was yanking his fangs out of her throat and growling while clutching his head. Taking advantage of his pain, Lauren moved her knee back and shoved it into his chest, causing the vampire to fly out of the car. It was a good thing she had always been stronger than most of the girls she knew. And she also had one hell of a temper.

"Perhaps we got off on a bad start," the vampire said as he forced himself to his feet and Lauren glared down at him and raised her hands. The vampire began to chuckle as he pulled his hands away from his head but winced when she dislocated his shoulder. "I'm Kol Mikaelson. And I am an Original vampire. So, you must understand that you can't kill me and in trying to do that you will only cause your own death to be all the more brutal. As well as the deaths of your brothers."

"What are you talking about? What in the hell is an Original vampire?" Lauren questioned Kol, who grinned back at her.

"Ah, so young and so inexperienced. I bet that you don't even know what you truly are, do you, love?" Kol inquired lightly as Lauren kept her hands up but didn't bother to hit him with more witchy pain.

"What am I? And what the hell are you?" Lauren snapped. "Tell me or I'll just have to find out what I can do to you if I can't kill you. You know I've watched all the seasons of American Horror Story so I know that there are a ton of ways to hurt someone. And you're a vampire so I can do them to you over and over again? Oh, and, p. s., my name is Lauren, not love. And I'm definitely not your love"

Kol started to laugh and Lauren frowned. This guy was truly insane. "Oh, you're a feisty one. I like that in a girl. Or rather I like myself in -"

"You're disgusting," Lauren snarled as she flicked her hand and broke Kol's right leg, causing him to go down on one knee. If a passer-by were to see this scene they would assume that Kol was proposing which made Lauren's lips twist upward. She did enjoy irony.

"Something funny, Lauren," Kol ground out as he grinned up at her with a malicious smile as he popped his leg back into place with a sickening crunch. "We could do this all night but something tells me that you probably have a bed time. Don't you, darling?" Kol inquired and before Lauren could blink, Kol had her pinned on top of Damon's car with his hand clamped on top of her throat, preventing her ability to breath. "I would kill you, but you might come in handy one of these days. And there is a war coming on so you never know when you might need an ally."

Kol loosened his hold on Lauren's windpipe so she could gulp down much needed air while his hands ran over her body, making her want to rip his heart out and to make him suffer pain worse than death. However, a tiny part of her was enjoying the feel of his fingers that were railing over the outline of her bra and then down to her jeans. "Why would you think I would want to help you after you tried to kill me tonight?" she growled between clenched teeth as he stared into her eyes, his own twinkling with mirth as she tried to grasp his wandering hands but was not quite fast enough.

"Because you're a bored, little girl caught in a town that is as dull as watching wall paper dry," Kol said smoothly. "All you want is to have someone dark and dangerous take you away and show you what your life could be like if only you'd let him. Let me take you," Kol whispered, his words intoxicating and Lauren got the feeling that he was trying to compel her as he slid off the car top and offered her his hand.

Sliding off the car hood, Lauren ignored Kol's hand and started to walk back to the Grill's main entrance when Kol grabbed her and whirled her around. "I want to kill you," he said harshly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and sped them into the back alley. Shoving Lauren against the wall, Kol glared at her. "I want to kill you because you are a stupid, little girl who has no manners. Do you want me to teach you how to behave when someone offers to give you something they're not even sure you deserve? Do you?"

"You're insane," Lauren spat back at Kol as he slammed his hands down on the wall on either side of her face as brown eyes met brown and rage met rage. "Leave me alone. I don't want your deal and I'm not stupid. I just think you're insane. And guess what? I'm probably right."

Kol started to laugh. "I'm insane? You're offered a deal from an Original and I'm the one who is insane. Do you know how many would kill to be in your position, little girl?"

"I'm not a little girl," Lauren spat back. "I'm a woman."

"Oh, of what, sixteen?" Kol inquired with a laugh as her cheeks colored. "You're a child who knows nothing. That is obvious since you didn't even know to not go out in a parking lot by yourself when there was vampire in a bar."

"At least I'm not so stupid that I attacked a witch unprovoked," Lauren snapped. "That was pretty stupid on your part."

Kol began to laugh again and Lauren was so done with this conversation. She was about to walk away when Kol grabbed her and shoved her against the wall again. "Who said I was done with you, Lauren?" he asked, making her heartbeat pound in her chest as he held her still and leaned down. She could not believe that he was about to bite her again when he moved closer and pressed his lips to hers firmly, causing her to gasp in shock as he slid his tongue into her mouth.

Lauren did not know what was more shocking, the fact that this self-professed Original was kissing her or the part where she was kissing him back. Yes, she had a boyfriend before and been on dates but no one had ever kissed her like this. He was being far more gentle than she expected even as he yanked her jeans down to her ankles and she gasped as she felt his body moving hers upward being careful to not cause her to be scratched by the brick wall. 'This was not happening,' Lauren thought as she gripped Kol's shoulders tightly as his hands moved under her shirt and ripped her bra open. "I am not having sex with a vampire behind the Mystic Grill while my brothers are probably drinking and completely oblivious to my existence." Not that that was anything new. The brother thing, not the Original sex thing.

"Oh, my God," Lauren groaned when Kol stopped moving and she wondered how long they had been out here. Shouldn't her brothers have come out here looking for her? This was a very weird night. Kol set her on her feet and she immediately pulled her pants up. "Ummm…" she had no idea what to say to Kol at this point.

"We'll be in touch. Don't forget your jacket, love," Kol told her with a smile and then he was gone.

Walking on shaking legs back to the car, Lauren grabbed her jacket and then re-entered the bar to find that Damon and Stefan were sitting in a booth. Damon looked up when Lauren came to stand beside the booth. "I guess it didn't take you too long to go home and find your phone, did it?" he asked and Lauren wondered what in the hell he was talking about. Then it dawned on her that Kol must have compelled him.

"No, not really. Thanks for letting me borrow the car," Lauren said as Stefan looked at the two with his eyebrows scrunched together like he didn't understand what they talking about. He was about to say something when Damon jumped in.

"How are your classes? Figured out what you want to do with your life yet?" Damon inquired lightly.

Lauren smiled. "No. Not yet. But I think that I might have found that I have more options than I ever believed," she said mysteriously with a secret smile on her lips as she picked up a warm shot of vodka and knocked it back.

**The next chapter should be up some time next month.**

**Thank you for faving, following, reading and/or reviewing. **

**Peace,**

**Jessica**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, my lovely readers. Okay, so I obviously overestimated how long it would take to update this story and I changed the name of the OC to Octavia, a name chosen by iheartnatebuzz.**

Chapter 2: Hear No Evil, See No Evil

There were shadows cast across the room as Kol Mikaelson intoned the reading for the week, attempting to jamb as much history about his family into his… witch's head. Octavia seemed to have other thoughts on the matter as she spun a drum stick through the air before shooting it through the picture of a young man that Kol was not familiar with. When she hit her mark, she let out a giggle.

"Octavia, would you, _please_, pay attention, darling?" Kol asked through gritted teeth and Octavia looked guilty.

"Sorry, Kol. But I was waiting for you to get to something _interesting_," Tavia muttered under her. She grinned wickedly when Kol growled under his breath. One minute he was sitting calmly in a chair across from her, the next he had her flattened to his bed. "Now, _that_ is interesting," she murmured, slowly trailing her fingers down his chest.

To think that this girl had been a lonely little girl in the middle of a small town when Kol had found her behind the Mystic Grill. Now, she was becoming a woman, with each passing day. He could feel the magic at her fingertips every time she touched him. "Enough!" he said.

Climbing off the girl in his bed, Kol marched across the room. Plopping down, he reopened the book. "We were getting to the bit where my parents turned my family into monsters," he told Octavia who rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I know," she said, staring at the ceiling. "Can we go out and find someone to use as target practice?"

"Like _Damon_?" Kol asked.

Tavia's eyes shot up to meet Kol's, and her look would terrify anyone who was not part of the supernatural community. "No!" she uttered in a hiss.

"Why not? I think it is about time that I _officially_ met your brother," Kol coaxed with a wide grin. His eyes flicked to the baseball bat in the corner and Tavia growled.

"You're not going _anywhere_ near my brother. _Either_ of my brothers," she added and Kol detected a bit of favoritism. Storing that in the back of his mind for later use, Kol relaxed into his seat.

"Right. Then _who_ do you suggest?" Kol inquired, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Tavia made her way across the room to straddle him. "I'm _not_ a big fan of my new history teacher. He gave me a _lot_ of homework and he's _totally_ lame," she whispered into his ear, giving him extra incentive with a hip wiggle.

"Your wish. Is my command, love," Kol replied, grabbing Tavia by the back of the neck, he pulled her head back so they were face to face. Kol teased her, moving in, and then darting away before he pressed his lips to hers in a longing kiss that lasted longer than he meant for it to. Pulling away, Kol looked at the girl, whose eyes were still closed. She seemed to be completely at his mercy which is what he wanted from her.

Tavia did not know it yet, but she was to be one of Kol's secret weapons when Klaus came to town. She would help him take his brother down. All he needed from her was to buckle down and learn to control her powers. And that would not happen until she stopped trying to get his bloody pants off. You show a girl a good time _one_ night and suddenly that is all she can think of. There would be time for that later.

"Come," Kol ordered, moving to get up, forcing Tavia to stand. Taking her by the hand, he led her out the door. They would find this unfortunate history teacher who had upset his protgee and have a bit of fun with him.

"What's this bloke's name?" Kol inquired, not really caring, but names could be important.

"Tanner. Or Mr. Tanner. He's a real _dick_. Or at least that's what Jeremy Gilbert calls him. But Jeremy is a stoner, so, Tanner rides his ass, 'cause Jer does not pay attention," Tavia informed Kol with a laugh.

"Oh, is that _all_. Maybe I should be the history teacher. That would be a lark. I'll come down with a bottle of my favorite bourbon and my bat. My first lesson will be that history is better when you're _making_ it. Then I will compel the class to take over the town. Not a bad start. When they're done, there should be enough bodies for me to feed on, without notice, for month," Kol was becoming fond of his plan when Tavia broke in.

"Kol, that is the _worst_ plan ever," Tavia retorted with a mocking laugh.

"Really? Why?" Kol felt slightly hurt. He had been so very bored of late. He needed a spot of fun to lighten things up. Hell, maybe it would bring Klaus' attention to this dreary, little bit of hell and they could get this battle started.

His little witch was staring at him when Kol finally broke from his daydream. "Because one of my brothers could get killed. Or Damon's precious girlfriend. Or one of _my_ friends," Tavia muttered the last part.

"What _friends_? Do you have _friends_? You seemed to me to be the _loneliest_ girl in the world the night I found you wandering about that parking lot." Kol soothed, placing a hand on Tavia's cheek as she looked away from him. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the street.

"Let's just go find Tanner," Tavia snapped, shoving Kol's hand away with a grunt.

Shaking his head, Kol thought of how short the girl's temper was. She needed to learn to control her anger, or she would end up killing everyone in her path once he placed the tools in her hands. It was not that he did not appreciate a good blood bath. It was that Kol did not want to be a casualty of the bloodshed. Just because an Original was supposed to be unkillable, did not mean that they were.

Kol was acutely aware of the fact that Tavia was a werewolf and could bloody well bits him once she turned. Although her bite would not kill him, it would cause unnecessary side effects, such as an unfortunate bout of insanity. Now, how could Kol put a stop to Klaus' reign of terror and control over Kol, and the rest of family if he was busy hallucinating the bloody Easter Bunny? No, this was not the time to discuss with Tavia her unique supernatural talents yet to be triggered.

Tavia was watching the street, with her head cocked to the side. Some part of Kol wondered if a werewolf could still have all their senses, without having triggered the curse. He had never encountered a hybrid that had been born a witch to one side of her blood line and a werewolf on the other. She was rather special in that right. Perhaps she would not need to trigger the curse. If so, then, Kol could use her powers now. That brought a smile to his face.

"What _are_ you seeing, darling?" Kol whispered into Tavia's ear as she melted into his body. Her hair brushed his cheek as she inhaled.

"I _smell_ him. He's nearby. I think he's out for a jog," Tavia said. Slowly, opening her eyes, she continued to watch the street while Kol watched her. Yes, her senses were certainly sharp and she was every bit the predator. Of that, he was certain.

"He's _coming_," Tavia said so low that a human would not hear as she turned to Kol. He took he hand and began to walk forward in a leisurely manner, with a friendly smile on his face.

"_Octavia_?" a man with short cropped black hair and a medium build, called from their right. He was jogging up to them from a quarter mile away. Kol could smell his sweat which made Kol wish to gag. He always preferred female victims because their scent was fresher, less like a dog, Tavia being the exception. For her, he made allowances. Besides, she was the best smelling wolf he had ever encountered, her aroma was like a field of spices, intoxicating.

"Mr. Tanner," Tavia greeted her teacher with a wide smile that hid her desire to do him harm.

"_What_ are you doing out past ten on a school night?" Mr. Tanner asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"The _better_ question is, _what_ are you doing out jogging at this time of night?" Kol retorted with a grin at the man who frowned at him. "Looking for a lady friend to burn the midnight oil with? I can _understand_. Tavia tells me that you've got a bit of work on your hands, _molding_ young minds all day. Must be stressful on a man of your _age_. _Me_, I prefer to spend my time with _other_ hobbies."

Mr. Tanner was glaring at Kol by this time as Kol looped his arm around Tavia's waist and yanked her closer. The history teacher had placed his hands on his hips. Oh, my. Kol was sure that Mr. Tanner was about to give him detention. What a lark. "Look, I don't know which _school_ that you go to Mr…"

"Mikaelson. Kol Mikaelson," Kol inserted with a grin as the teacher stood there, under a street lamp, his face turning redder by the second as Kol's grin widened.

"Kol, I don't _what_ they teach at the school that you go to. But I do know what they teach at the one that _I_ teach at. You come in, _on_ time, and you do your _work_. I have seen a _decrease_ in Octavia's interest during class as well as a decrease in her tests scores. I should have known that there was a boy involved. _Now_, Octavia, I want you to understand that _no_ college that you plan to attend two years from now is going to take the excuse that you are more interested in your _bad_ _boy_, boyfriend than your studies," Tanner lectured Tavia whose eyes were glazing over.

"Tavia, would you like to do the honors," Kol cut in. Tanner's head whirled with a look of incomprehension when he began to wheeze. His head spun in Tavia's direction. She was chanting low in her throat, her hand closing as Tanner wrapped his hands around his own throat, clawing at invisible hands choking him.

Kol clapped, laughing. "Okay. That's _good_. Try another," he ordered Tavia whose fingers relaxed. Tanner fell to his knees, wheezing and coughing as he stared up at Tavia with dawning horror.

The human tried to get to his feet and run when Tavia lifted her hands and flipped them. Tanner rose to his feet and then slammed down onto the sidewalk with a yelp. He laid there, prone as Tavia stared. Kol figured she was trying to decide what to do with her prey, when she suddenly grinned. Tanner's eyes grew as he looked around him. "Stay away from me. No, stay away. _Good_ dog," Tanner yelped.

"_What_ are you doing this time?" Kol asked, but Tavia held up her hand to silence him. He did not remember teaching her this spell as Tanner began to run from something that only he could see. Tavia followed him at a slower pace, holding her left hand out and continuing to chant.

Watching the scene unfold, Kol wondered if his little helper had outside resources. But that was ridiculous. The only witches in town were the Bennetts, and as far as Kol knew, Tavia did not associate herself with them. According to Tavia, Bonnie Bennett was a friend of Elena Gilbert's, and that was as far as she went with that subject.

Kol followed Tavia, who was watching her new toy, running to and fro from his invisible tormentor. "Are you bored _yet_?" Kol asked. He had tired of the invisible dog and the teacher already. "You know, we could get back to my place and try something that would involve combining our magic," he called but Tavia was focused on Tanner.

Tavia shook her head back and forth. Now, she was showing the man something else. "What _are_ you?" Tanner asked Kol. Kol's eyebrows rose as he looked from Tanner to Tavia who was smiling. Tanner looked intrigued despite his fear. "That's _not_ possible. Your kind don't exist," he was muttering.

"Have you _fried_ his brain?" Kol shouted at Tavia who only laughed. He had certainly not gotten around to teaching her how to drive her prey mad. 'What exactly had gotten into her tonight?' Kol wondered. "Tavia, love?" he called when she refused to look back at him.

"Not possible," Tanner kept muttering to himself. "They said that you were here."

"Who told you 'we' were here?" Kol demanded, speeding forward so that he was right in front of the startled teacher.

"I don't _know_," Tanner replied. "It's not _clear_. I…" turning away, Tanner looked toward the street. "I need to go _home_."

"_No_, you _need_ to tell _me_ _who_ told you _what_?" Kol snapped, forcing the man to meet his stare. This night had just gotten a hell of a lot more interesting.

"They said that there were vampires. They said to drink vervain. I thought it was a joke," Tanner continued. "I thought they were on something, like Jeremy Gilbert. That kid is going to get an _F_ this term."

"Who cares about Jeremy bloody Gilbert? Tell me who _they_ are?" Kol demanded, probing more deeply into the man's mind. But Tavia's spell seemed to be preventing him from getting too far. She needed to let go of her control over the man for Kol to get anywhere with him.

"Tavia, be a dear, and let the man go," Kol called over his shoulder. Turning his head, he found that Tavia's nose was bleeding down her chin and had created a trickle blossoming on her tank. "_Tavia_?" Kol called again. But she could not hear him. She was too far gone, in the depths of her spell. She had lost control of her magic, and it was killing her.

Giving up on Tanner, Kol ran toward Tavia, gripping her by the shoulders, he forced himself as far into her mind as she would allow him. "Tavia. Stop. This. Instant!" he demanded. Her eyelids slid closed and her body slid toward the ground. Wrapping his arms around her, Kol lifted her up.

"What's going on? What are you _doing_ to her? Octavia, it's Mr. Tanner!" the bloody teacher called. "Did you _drug_ her? I'm going to call the _police_," the infernal man shouted at Kol who gritted his teeth. He did not have time to deal with this imbecile.

Turning, Kol approached the man who was clueless as he dialed an emergency number. With his witch in his arms, Kol snatched the phone, and crushed it in his palm. The human glared back at him. "You may think that you can do whatever you please with girls because they think you're cute or something, but your crap won't work on me, young man," Tanner yelled.

"Your first mistake was thinking I'm a _man_. Your second was being born _stupid_. And your third was in challenging _me_," Kol replied before showing his glowing red eyes and long, sharp fangs.

The history teacher let out a gasp. "What in the hell?" he muttered.

"I'm going to rip your arms off and beat you to death with them," Kol cried just as soon as I get my girl home and into her bed before her bloody brothers figure out she isn't at home."

Tanner's face drained of color. Then he was running to Kol's satisfaction. He was going to enjoy finding this man tonight and forcing him to run until the sun came up. Then Kol would take him out in the woods and make him recite the history of the bloody Civil War as he drained him of blood, using the bark from a tree. Yes, Kol was is a creative mood. Who said Klaus was the _only one_ in the family with an artistic bent? Kol wanted to paint tomorrow morning.

All his plans were dashed when some stupid, drunken girl crashed into the history teacher on his way across the street. The girl got out of the car as two boys got out with her. One of the boys Kol recognized as Stefan Salvatore, Octavia's older brother. The other boy was someone Kol could give a damn about. Tavia said something about a football and that was all it took for Kol to go to sleep. Then there was the reigning Miss Mystic Falls. One Miss Caroline Forbes who might also come in handy. She looked like she might be Nik's type.

Kol was watching the blonde as she screamed at the sight of the body that had rolled over her windshield. The Football was calling 911. And Tavia's brother was ordering them all to stay calm. He felt for a pulse and told them that the man might still be alive. Drat. And Kol had _so_ been hoping that he no longer had that problem to deal with.

So intent on their little show was he that Kol barely registered Tavia yawning and coming to in his arms. "What happened?" she asked. Touching her nose, she groaned. "That's _not_ a good sign, is it?"

"No, no, it's not," Kol replied, glancing up, his gaze connected with Stefan's who was comforting Caroline. Seeing the shocked look on Stefan's face, Kol waited for the man to blink before he was gone. Yes, that would be another mess to deal with later. Right now, Tavia was his priority. "Let's get you home, darling."

"Okay," Tavia looked worn from her little lesson for the day.

"Now, you will know not to exert yourself, _yes_?" Kol asked gently. He knew when to be gentle and when to be firm. Now was the time to be kind to the girl. She would need to heal before they could move forward with his plan.

There was a shortcut across the town to the Salvatore Boarding House which Kol had become quite familiar with over the last three months. He had taken the route countless times to enter Tavia's room. She was usually awake and waiting for him, as if she sensed him coming. There were the rare times that he would find her asleep, curled up, holding onto the stuffed elephant that Damon had won at a carnival one summer.

It was times like that Kol was reminded of how young Tavia was compared to the girls that he grown up with. At sixteen, Kol had been considered a man before his death. He would have wed and had a son of his own if he had not been turned. He would have taught his child what it meant to be a warlock. But, instead, he had been cursed to live as a creature for eternity.

"Kol, thank you," Tavia said as she drifted to sleep.

"For _what_, love?" Kol asked, curious as her lids became heavy while he drew her bloodied shirt off and wiped the blood away from her body, deciding to take it with him. She need not have bloody clothes lying about to arouse suspicion.

"For coming into my life. You have no idea how much I _needed_ you," Tavia mumbled as she yawned widely and sank down into the pillows.

Kol smiled, stroking her hair. "_I_ as well," he whispered, kissing her forehead and then heading out of her door. He wasn't worried about being caught since he knew that Damon was not there and their father was sound asleep in his bedroom.

Going downstairs, Kol came face to face with Stefan whose face drained of color. He opened his mouth to yell when Kol grabbed him, pressing a finger to Stefan's lips. "You and I are overdue for a little chat, wouldn't you say?" he asked with glowing red eyes before he flung the front door open and dragged Stefan off, into the darkness.

**Hopefully the next update will not take forever like this one did. No promises. **

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and for reviewing. **

**Answers to reviews: **

**Guest: Well, when I said I would update in a month… Ummm… Yeah. Sorry. This is what happens when you can't stop writing new stories. I think it should be called OCWNSD. Obsessive Compulsive Writing New Stories Disorder. :/**

**XxMikaelsonForeverxX: Sorry, about the wait. :/**

**Syltherin Studios: Thank you. **

**Peace,**

**Jessica**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, my lovely readers. I know it has been a really long time since I updated this fic, sorry about the wait. On with the show…**

Chapter 3: We Don't Date Vampires!

_Bored. Octavia was so bored as she wandered down a hall in Mystic Falls High. Nothing ever happened here. Nothing that didn't make her mind spin in slow circles, rotating toward a non-answer to an unresolved question. Turning a corner, she grinned when she saw Kol standing at the end of the hall with a bouquet of red roses. She moved toward him but someone grabbed her from behind and held her, tightly. "You're going to die," a voice whispered in her ear. _

Sitting bolt upright in bed, Octavia could feel her heart pounding in her chest. No one stood in her room. She was alone. Her phone sat atop her nightstand and her clock read 6:15 a.m., shaking her head, she winced when she got out of bed. Her head still ached from the events on the night before. "Ugh!" she moaned, struggling to get to her bathroom.

Once she entered her bathroom and got a good look in the mirror, she wished she hadn't. "Oh, my God!" she cried, peering at the purplish bruise-like circles beneath her eyes. Under her nose, flakes of crusted blood stuck to her skin. Finding a washcloth, she worked to rid herself of the tell-tale signs of the horrors of the previous night. If only she could use a spell to look like she had slept the night before. Maybe Kol knew one.

Exiting her bathroom, she jumped when she found Damon standing in her doorway. "Hey. Didn't mean to scare you," Damon said absently, running his hand through his hair. His eyebrows were knit together and he looked weary. "Have you seen, Stefan?" he asked, glancing at her and then at the clock.

"No. I just got up," Octavia replied, folding her arms over her chest.

Damon nodded. "Guess he just… I don't know what. Did you hear about Caroline hitting that douche, Tanner, with her car last night?" he asked with a pleased grin. "Bet Blondie is freaking out. I feel bad for Liz, but that is the best news I could have heard in months. Even Lena was trying not to smile when we heard it this morning."

"Yeah," Octavia tried to remember whether she had something to do with that accident or whether it was Kol's doing. "I've got to get dressed and get to school. They're not going to shut down just because one sleaze got hurt."

"But what if _two_ sleazes did?" Damon joked.

"I have no idea," Octavia smiled before walking over to her closet so that Damon would get the hint.

"Okay. Let me know if Stef shows up. I've got to get to school before Dad finds me at home and tries to send me to the Army recruiter's office, again," Damon called cheerfully over his shoulder.

"See ya," Octavia called back as she heard the door shut. Once Damon left, she closed her closet door and dove onto her bed. Grabbing her phone, she punched in Kol's phone number. Rolling onto her back, she waited for him to answer. When the phone went to voicemail, she frowned and then hung up. It wasn't like Kol to not answer her calls.

Huffing, Octavia got to her feet and walked back over to her closet. Settling on a pair of skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder green top, she got dressed and found her bag under her bed. The house was far too quiet as she headed down the hall, past Stefan's empty room and down the stairs.

"Huh," she noted that in the two seconds she had peered inside Stefan's room that nothing in there had been moved since the day before. Usually something would have. His guitar would be lying in a different corner. His messenger bag would be lying on top of his bed while he got ready for the day. But it was like he hadn't been there since they went to the Grille.

Octavia tried to not dwell on her brother's absence when she exited the house to find Matt Donavon in the driveway with Caroline Forbes. "Hey, Octavia!" Caroline called. She got out of the car and hurried over to Octavia. "Have you seen your brother? I tried calling him and texting him like _two_ _million_ times this morning and _nothing_. We're going to visit Mr. Tanner before school and thought he might want to come," the blonde stated in a rush.

"Number one, I have _two_ brothers, so you're going to have to specify. Number two, do you want him to go with you to hold your hand and make you feel better because you ran a man over with your mom's car? And, number three, and this one is a big one, I need a ride to school. So if you can, I don't know, drop me off, and then get back to the self-pity thing you're doing, that would be awesome!" Octavia offered Caroline a smile while the blonde gaped at her.

"Seriously! What is _wrong_ with you?" Caroline shouted at Octavia who rolled her eyes and withdrew her cell from her back pocket. "And I did _not_ hit him on purpose!" she continued to shout.

"Caroline!" Matt called. "We're going to be late."

"Matt, did you _hear_ what she said to me?" Caroline shouted back at Matt.

Sighing, Octavia shouldered her bag and walked away from the irritating blonde one. "Bye," she waved, yanking the hoodie of her jacket up. She did not have time to deal with Caroline's drama right now. Typing in Stefan's cell number, she waited for him to pick up when she heard the sound of absolutely nothing.

Gritting her teeth, Octavia shoved her phone back into her back pocket and trudged toward school. She was going to be late. Like really, _really_ late thanks to Caroline. Frustration would be a big motivator to make her move faster but she didn't really feel like getting to school. What would she even learn there that she couldn't learn in any other part of the world?

At the corner, Octavia stopped and looked down the road. There was no one coming so she began to cross the street when a car came barreling toward her. She let out a cry of shock when she felt the car's front bumper smack into her leg. "Awww!" she cried when the car stopped. Turning around, Octavia slammed both her hands down on the hood of the car. "_What_ in the hell is the _matter_ with _you_?" she yelled at the man who climbed out of the car.

The man's eyes were wide as he came to stand in front of her. He reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, examining her. "I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't see you there. Are you quite alright, love?" he asked, holding onto her.

Octavia didn't like that he was touching her. She didn't like the fact that she could sense that he was vampire or the fact that he wouldn't let go of her. Nor did she like the sneaking suspicion that he had hit her on purpose. "I'm _fine_," she snapped, attempting to move away but the vampire wouldn't let go.

"Are you _sure_ that you're alright? Not all injuries present themselves at first glance. Like that gash on your knee. If you don't mind, I can take a look at it," the vampire smiled and Octavia glared at him.

"Why don't I just go to the _hospital,_ and have _them_ take a look at it?" Octavia retorted. Now that the vampire had let go of her, she could take a step away from him.

"As you wish, Octavia," the vampire relented, smirking down at her.

Narrowing her eyes, Octavia glared up at this strange vampire. "What do you want from me?" she asked him.

"Oh, come now, love. We barely know each other and you think so _little_ of me as to think I want something from you after I _so_ carelessly injured you, _truly_?" the vampire was now grinning down at her and Octavia felt the need to run from him but she refused to show him weakness.

"I don't know. And I don't want to know you. But I _would_ like to know why you know my name," she told him. Watching the vampire, she could tell he was taking his time to answer, calculating the risk of each word he spoke and then responding in less than a minute.

"Let's begin with the simpler answers. I am _Klaus_ _Mikaelson_. And you, my dear, are, what is it that the kids call it nowadays, _ah_, yes, hooking up with my brother, Kol," Klaus said with a wide smile.

Octavia thought she would vomit as she stared at the cold-blooded brother of her boyfriend. Kol had warned her that Klaus was on his way but she never expected that he would show up this quickly or that Kol wouldn't be with her when they had to fight him. "Okay," she said slowly. "What do you want from me?"

"I do not want anything from _you_, love. I simply want to get to know the girl that my brother has taken _such_ an interest in. You must be _remarkable_. Kol tends to kill those he does not find useful in the most exquisite testimonials to torture that man has ever seen." Klaus spoke frankly and Octavia knew that he wasn't simply trying to scare her but he also didn't know what she was capable of, yet. "So there must be something _truly_ unique about you to keep him from gutting you. What is it, pray tell?"

"I need a ride to school. Since you hit me with your car, you think you can find time in your schedule to take me, or do you have to go torture some helpless puppies first?" Octavia questioned him with a look of disinterest in his not-so-veiled threats.

For a moment Klaus' eyes darkened and she thought he would try to kill her. Then he relaxed, and smiled, his eyes glowing with glee. "I believe that I can fit this trip in. Under one condition," he held up a finger and Octavia raised her eyebrows. "Under no circumstances are you to tell my brother that I have arrived. I would like to make it a surprise."

"Why would I _not_ tell Kol that you're here?" Octavia asked, her tone laced with sarcasm as she rounded the car and pulled the passenger side door open.

Klaus stood just outside the car, looking back at her with another bone-chilling grin. "Because I will slit your father's throat and make you watch. Then I will turn your brothers into vampires and then I will bleed them out before dumping them into the _deepest_, _darkest_ bits of the ocean of my choice. When I am done, I will dagger Kol until the end of your _sad_, _little_ existence as a human ends. Do we have a deal?"

Octavia could feel her rage coming to the surface. All she wanted to do was attack Klaus with all of her might, but she knew she wasn't strong enough. If playing with Mr. Tanner last night had taught her nothing else, it was that she wasn't ready to fight the likes of Klaus Mikaelson. "We have a deal as long as you make _me_ one promise," she replied.

"Anything," Klaus said lightly.

"You're not going to kill Kol when you finally let him know that you're here," Octavia stated, waiting for his answer, knowing he would tell her whatever she wanted to hear but hoping that he could keep _one_ promise for long enough for her to ready herself.

"I _promise_ that I will not _kill_ Kol," Klaus swore. "Would you like me to pinky swear?" he asked, holding up a finger, his smile mocking.

"No," Octavia muttered, getting into the car and trying to hold back a scream while Klaus took his seat behind the steering wheel. Her gaze stayed focused on the windshield until Klaus flipped a switch and jazz began to fill the car.

"You like jazz," Klaus commented, glancing at Octavia who shifted in her seat. "Come now, we can have a pleasant conversation. After all, I'm doing you a favor."

"And _which_ favor are we referring to? The one where you threaten my _family_ and my _boyfriend_? Or the one where you take me to school like any sane, human brother would do for the girlfriend of his brother?" Octavia knew she was treading on dangerous ground but she couldn't help challenging Klaus. Kol had told her his brother was arrogant. However, she had no idea how true that would turn out to be.

"Aw, Octavia, you would be so much less lovely if I were to smash your face through my windshield," Klaus told her with another one of his smirks.

"And you would be way better looking if you weren't, well, _you_," Octavia answered, turning to look Klaus right in the eye.

Klaus' jaw set before he began to chuckle. "You are meant for my brother, I have to say, matching tempers, matching wit. It's really too bad that you're only a little human, otherwise you might make an _excellent_ addition to the family."

"Whatever," Octavia rolled her eyes and sat back, refusing to listen to Klaus' taunts.

"On the other hand, you could allow me to _turn_ you. Then you might stand half a chance of making a real go of it with Kol," Klaus continued like she hadn't even spoken.

"Yeah. Because I always wanted to be forever sixteen. Not to mention the whole not being old enough to decide if I am ready to commit my whole life to another person." Shaking her head, Octavia hoped that they would get to the high school soon although she had a feeling that Klaus was taking his time.

"You know that back when Kol was a human, girls your age and younger were known to have two to three children," Klaus told her.

Scoffing, Octavia turned to look back at Klaus. "Yes, and their life span was, _what_, living to the age of, what was it again, _thirty_?" she questioned him with a frown.

Looking amused, Klaus nodded. "And who is to say what the future holds for you? Perhaps living while you can would be the best option." The car stopped and Klaus popped his seatbelt. "I believe this is your destination of choice, is it not?" he asked, waving at the windshield.

Octavia looked at the high school through the windshield and then spotted Caroline with a group of her lackeys. She groaned, sitting back when Caroline caught sight of her. "Can I not get rid of her today?" she muttered.

"Problem that I can help you with?" Klaus asked, his eyes moving to the tall, blonde who was watching them closely.

"Not unless you like bitchy cheerleaders," Octavia sighed. "Have a _great_ day," she added, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she got out and slammed the car door.

She was no more than five feet away when Klaus shouted after her. "Have a good day at school!" Whirling on her heel, Octavia had to resist the urge to give Klaus an aneurysm in front of the entire school while he waved at her from his position, leaning against his car.

Forcing a smile, Octavia waved back at Klaus before he got back into his car. Her expression contorted into a sneer when she turned and nearly collided with Caroline who was watching Klaus drive away. "_Who_ was that?" she demanded. Like it was her business who Octavia got into a car with all of the sudden.

"I have _no_ idea," Octavia replied. "I think he might be on one of those 'Most Wanted Posters' at the post office but I'd have to check. Maybe that was you."

"Seriously, Tavia!" Caroline snapped, grabbing Octavia's arm.

Octavia growled and yanked her arm away. "If you're so damned interested in him, why don't you go chase him down. It wouldn't be the first time you were that desperate."

"You know that if you weren't Stefan's sister I would _totally_ kick your ass for talking to me like that?" Caroline yelled, placing her hands on her hips.

"I would _love_ to see you try!" Octavia yelled back. Dropping her bag, she rolled her sleeves and balled her fists. She would love nothing more than to kick Princess Caroline's spoiled butt from one side of the quad to the other.

"Hey. Hey! _Stop_!" a voice shouted. Suddenly Octavia was airborne and she would have kicked whoever it was that had ahold of her if hadn't turned out to be her brother.

"Stefan," Octavia gasped when he set her on her feet. "_Where_ have you been?"

"Around," Stefan replied. "What is going on here?" he demanded, looking from his sister to his friend.

"Ask _her_," Caroline and Octavia snapped at the same time.

Caroline tossed her hair off her shoulder. "Your sister—" she began when Octavia cut her off.

"Got a ride to school from a friend of a friend and Caroline's tiny, tiny brain couldn't put two and two together. Let's _go_." Not giving Caroline time to tell her own side of the story, Octavia tugged her brother inside the school. She didn't stop until they found an empty classroom and then she dragged Stefan into it. "Where have you been?" she asked.

"I've been with your _boyfriend_. Since when is it okay for you to be dating a vampire? Let alone an _Original_ vampire? Stefan demanded, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at his baby sister, who suddenly felt every bit of sixteen as she bit her lower lip. She began to shift from foot to foot and came up with no good excuses.

"Since I knew they existed…" Octavia tried, causing Stefan to heave a sigh. Yeah. It looked like this was going to a very long day. And where was her Original boyfriend and why wasn't he answering her calls?

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. **

**Peace, **

**Jessica**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, my lovely readers. This chapter is dedicated to all my readers. My thoughts are with anyone who is under persecution in the United States and around the world. Be safe! On with the show… **

Chapter 4: New Hobby

Walking down the now familiar halls of Mystic Falls high school, Kol inhaled deeply, the smell of blood made his stomach growl while the sounds of the heartbeats of the clueless masses made him grin. He could tear through this melee of youth in mere seconds but where would be the fun in that. No, he could be patient when it served his purpose. Right now, he needed his own army to fight off the likes of his brother.

Kol walked into the classroom, delighting in the looks of awe and approval from the young ladies in the room while the young males glared at him. They would all be his lackeys soon enough, begging him to make them what he was. Well, with a few exceptions…

Stefan Salvatore sat toward the middle of the class beside his brother's girl, Elena Gilbert. Bonnie Bennett sat just in front of her best friend. Caroline Forbes held court closer to the front with her fellow cheerleaders. And this football player sat beside a young man with dark hair and a sneer directed at Kol. These could be the problem children. But Kol did not feel worried, he relished the challenge of persuading them to join him in his fight. For their precious friend, Elena's sake. Many had died in the name of the previous doppleganger, Katherine Pierce and Kol believed that this group had more loyalty toward this little human girl. If he were to believe Tavia, which he did, he had no reason not to.

Elena stared up at him with those same round eyes as Katherine. Kol held back a laugh. He wondered how much the two had in common. If the girl wanted to live, then she would need to be as cunning and ruthless as her predecessor but who knew? Kol didn't really care if the doppleganger died in his fight with his brother or if all of her friends died with her. All he cared for was his witch and their survival. If he had to use Elena as bait—when the time came—or kill her himself, in spite of Tavia's desire to keep her alive, he would. For Damon's sake.

Stefan's piercing gaze drew Kol's attention and he smiled at the boy while setting his bag down in the chair. It was show time. "Hello, class. I am Kol Mikaelson, I will be taking Mr. Tanner's place while he is away."

"Hopefully he'll stay gone if we can keep this guy," one of Caroline's minions whispered to the blonde who nodded in agreement, staring Kol up and down.

Kol smirked in the girl's direction, taking pleasure in the blush that spread across her face at his look. "Would anyone like to tell me where we were?"

"We were studying the civil war," Elena told him helpfully, her eyes reflecting no knowledge of who he was or what his presence meant. Looked like Stefan hadn't gone around babbling to his mates about vampires in town. Marvelous. That meant that his powers of persuasion had worked on young Stefan.

_Once they were in the middle of the wooded area near the Salvatore homestead, Kol released Stefan who backed away from him. "Stay away from me!" Stefan snarled and he held up his hands, beginning to chant when Kol sped forward, gripped him by the neck and slammed him against the tree. _

_Letting out a cry of pain, Stefan's eyelids began to slide closed when Kol slapped him across the face. "Oh, don't go to sleep just yet. We need to have a chat about what you think you saw earlier." _

"_You're a vampire and you're doing something to my sister. You won't get away with it," Stefan said weakly, his eyelids still drooping. Perhaps Kol should not be so violent with him. Setting Stefan on his feet, Kol dusted him off and watched Stefan place his hand to the back of his head, gingerly and pull it away, examining the blood. _

"_I will give you a bit of my blood after you promise to hear me out. If you do not, I will kill you and bury your body where no one will find you for the next hundred years." Kol swore to Stefan who glared at him. _

"_Fine. Say what you have to say and go," Stefan growled, wiping his bloody hand on his black jeans. His eyes registered disgust as he looked up at Kol. _

_Kol smiled back at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Let me introduce myself, I'm Kol Mikaelson, and as you correctly assumed, I am a vampire. But I am not any vampire, I am an Original vampire." Watching Stefan, Kol saw the boy's eyes cloud over, he knew, unlike his sister what an Original was. But how? _

"_What are you doing here?" Stefan snapped. _

"_That does not concern you. Yet," Kol replied with another smile. "I do want us to be friends, given my close relationship with your sister. Tavia has become rather important to me in a short amount of time and it is important to her that I get on with you and you brother, Damon." _

_Stefan glared at Kol. "What do you want with Tavia?" he demanded. _

"_Again, that is my concern, not yours. I do understand your worry. I, too, have a younger sister. She does pick the worst of men to share her bed… However, I can assure you that my intentions for Tavia are purer than any I have held for any other woman." _

"_Gee, I'm feeling better already," Stefan straightened up, still glaring at Kol. "And I have the word of a vampire from the world' oldest and most ruthless family of vampires to walk the earth. Why does that not make me feel comfortable?" _

_Kol laughed. He liked Stefan a little more than he did before. And since he had no feelings toward the lad in the beginning, that was a step up. "Don't worry about Tavia, I will guard her with my life. That is all you need to know. Now, take my blood and scamper home. You have school in the morning." Kol fed Stefan from his wrist before he sent the boy on his way, feeling pleased with the meeting. Stefan might be of some use to him if he taught him how to use his magic properly. Right now, he was utterly useless. _

"We've been studying the civil war since we were ten. Can't we study something else?" the dark haired boy sitting with the football player snapped.

"And you are?" Kol inquired, grinning at the boy.

"Tyler Lockwood," the boy retorted, his eyes glowing. This one had a temper. A wolf who had yet to be triggered. Kol's smile widened. This boy would be on Nik's list of people to use for his little ritual soon enough. Kol decided that making the boy into his creature first would infuriate Nik. How wonderful.

"I understand your frustration, Tyler. Perhaps you can help me with a little after school project. I promise that it will not involve the civil war and that it will ensure you an A for this term." Kol told the boy who grinned.

"How can he do that if he's temporary?" Bonnie muttered to herself and Kol caught her gaze. The Bennett witch.

"And I do need a few more students to join me. May I get some volunteers?" Kol called, looking around the room.

Several young ladies hands shot up into the air but Kol remained focused on the ones he wanted from the class. "Let's see," he pretended to be considering each raised hand before stopping on the ones he wanted. "Elena," he said and she smiled. "Bonnie. Caroline. Matt, I suppose. And Stefan. Yes, that should be sufficient." Hands went down and several students commiserated about that their bad luck and favoritism.

Turning his back on the class, Kol grinned as he began to write on the chalkboard. Oh, yes, Nik would be walking into a fight he did expect to be walking into. This could become quite interesting.

Two hours later, Kol still stood at the front of the class when another group came in. Tavia came in right before the bell rang and she stopped in the doorway, staring at Kol, her eyes wide and her mouth open. "Find a seat," Kol told her, gesturing toward the empty one at the front of the classroom.

Tavia took a place in the front row and Kol tried not to stare at her like she continued to gawk at him. Poor girl. Hadn't he warned her he would do something like this? Soon her shock turned to anger and he had to give her a warning look when her fingers wrapped around a pencil, pointing it in his direction. They could not have a row after class, not yet. Too much of a clean up if he had to rip the entire class apart.

"I have an after school project and I need volunteers. Just two, please," Kol looked around the classroom and caught sight of the Gilbert boy. "Jeremy. And… Octavia. That will do."

"They didn't even have their hands up," one girl complained.

"Excuse me, sir," Jeremy called, causing his fellow students to stare at him. "I've got stuff. Really important stuff to do…so I don't think I can. Sorry."

Kol's smile dropped and he leaned over Tanner's desk. "I do believe that you're failing this class. Would you like to become a burden on your family? A drunken derelict who dies, nameless, in an alleyway at the age of twenty or can I cut through your haze of drug addiction long enough to make you care about your life whatsoever?"

Jeremy's jaw dropped and several young people began to titter as he looked at them. Kol felt satisfied until Jeremy got up, shoving his book into his bag. "I don't have to take your shit, man, you don't even know me." With that said, Jeremy got up and walked to the front of the room and out the door.

"If you will excuse me for just a moment," Kol called to the class. Tavia started to get up when he gave her look which caused her to sit back down.

Kol strode down the hallway, his ears attuned to the sound of Jeremy's footsteps down the hall and into the first men's room. He slammed the door open and caught Jeremy by surprise, grabbing him by the throat before he could utter a word. "Do you want to die?" Kol asked. He watched Jeremy's eyes widen. His own eyes were cold and unfeeling as he gripped the human by the neck.

"One flick of my wrist and you are gone. Nothing but a blip in the universe. All you have to do is say the word and I end your worthless life." Kol waited for Jeremy to acknowledge his words when the door opened again.

"Let him go," Tavia said, her voice low and calm but with an underlying threat. "He's just a stupid kid. Let him kill himself if he wants to die."

"No!" Kol snarled, turning to Tavia. "I want him to choose. Quick and painless or being a waste to everyone he knows. To ruin their lives, to make them feel pain and remorse every time they try to reach him and he spits in their faces."

Jeremy looked like he might cry. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry. Okay? Let me go, dude."

Kol let go of Jeremy. "Then you will be joining us for my little project?"

Jeremy nodded, looking confused. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

Tavia watched Jeremy leave the bathroom. "Why do you want him?"

"He's part of Elena Gilbert's family. He'll be part of this sooner or later and I would prefer that he be my weapon." Slipping his arms around Tavia's waist, Kol pressed his lips to hers.

"What are you doing at my school, Kol?" Tavia asked him, watching him closely. She didn't trust his motives. She was right not to.

Tucking a lock of black hair behind her ear, Kol smiled at her. "I am here to create my army to defeat my brother, love, so that I can protect us both."

"You don't need an army, Kol, you have me," Tavia argued. "You and me, we're all we need. The two of us together, we're unstoppable."

Kol pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Oh, darling, you have no idea what Niklaus is capable of."

Tavia became quiet in his arms. "What if I do?" she whispered to him.

Kol pulled back, examining her. "What do you mean?"

Tavia became restless, stepping away from him and going to look out the small window in the bathroom. "I met him: Klaus." She continued looking out the window, her look grim before her gaze moved back to Kol.

"When?" Kol demanded, moving to stand over her.

"This morning. He hit me with his car," Tavia confessed.

Kol let out a hiss. "Of course. Damn him. Every time I think I've gotten ahead of the bastard." He turned away from Tavia so she would not see the fear on his face. If Nik was already here, he might be too late. "What did he have to say for himself?"

"A lot of threats. He promised me that he wouldn't hurt you but I don't believe him. I think he lies about everything he ever says." That was his girl, astute as ever.

"Yes, Nik, keeps his promises if it suits his purposes," Kol frowned. Nik might kill Tavia and dagger Kol. There would be no way of seeing to her safety if he laid, daggered in a box. He would need to get to work as soon as possible.

"We should get back to class," Kol said.

"What are you going to do about Klaus?" Tavia demanded, refusing to leave the room.

"Let me worry about my brother," Kol said, taking her by the arm and nudging her out the door. "Go back to class. I will be there soon." If only he could find Elijah, Bekah and Finn and turn them to his side. Then again, his family were always an unpredictable lot. Elijah and Bekah tending to take Nik's side during a family squabble. Finn preferring to stay out of it, if possible.

Rolling his eyes toward the ceiling, Kol wondered where Niklaus was and what he was up to at the moment. Probably having gathered witches together to do battle with him and for his bloody Sun and Moon travesty. Fool. Maybe killing the doppleganger would put it all to rest, once and for all. Of course, that might also land Kol in a box for the next millennia and Tavia in an unmarked grave.

No, Kol would have to make sure of his plans before he executed any of them just yet. He also needed to pay a visit to Whitmore College. Damon Salvatore was yet another unwitting piece to the puzzle. With the Salvatores' allegiance pledged to him, the Bennett witch, a couple of untriggered werewolves and the doppleganger, the board was set for one hell of a game.

Kol began to whistle on his way back to his class room. His students did not seem to have missed him. Most of them were on their phones, probably on Twitter or some such social media nonsense. Tavia sat, without her phone in hand, staring out the window. She looked drained. He had been too preoccupied with his troubles to notice how sick she looked. Her dark eyes lost their gleam as she sat, watching something. Kol peered out the window but did not register anything out of the ordinary.

"Octavia," he called. A couple of her fellow students' eyes flicked to her. "Are you all right?" he questioned her.

Another girl, sitting to her right, slid on her seat, touching Tavia's shoulder. Tavia did not answer. She did not seem to hear the girl speak to her. "Oc-tav-ia!" Kol called again, rounding the desk.

Tavia still sat, facing the window. Now a few of her fellow students got up to stare at her. "Is she okay?" one of the girls asked him.

"I don't know," Kol replied.

"Should we call someone?" another student asked.

Kol ignored the voice, focusing on the girl in front of him. Tavia did not move when he reached out, taking her shoulders and turning her to face him. "Tell me if you hear me," he said softly.

Tavia's focus was turned inward as she stared at a point behind Kol's left ear. Then her eyes focused on him and she grinned at him before getting to her feet. "I need to go to the lady's room," she said.

Kol moved away from her and he watched Tavia walk out of the room. His feet felt like they were glued to the floor. "I will return in a minute," he told the class who just stared at him.

"This class has become seriously weird," one of the students said as Kol left the room, again. He listened for Tavia's footsteps and hurried after her. He could not speed after her unless he wanted to risk exposure and she was moving far too quickly. Like she had broken into a run.

Once Kol got to the front doors of the school, he found that Tavia was nowhere in sight. "Blasted hell!" he growled, pulling out his phone, he called her. "Tavia, where are you going?" he snapped when she answered the phone.

"The question, brother, is not where Tavia is going. It's what she does when she gets there," Klaus' voice sounded in his ear and Kol hissed in rage when his brother let out a laugh.

"If you harm her, Niklaus, I will find you and I will destroy you!" Kol swore.

"Well then, brother, I would say it was in your best interests to stay away from what is mine," Klaus snapped, hanging up and Kol wanted to scream as he crushed his phone in his hand. Nik was always one step ahead. Always. Kol would find Tavia and then he would make Nik pay for whatever he'd done to her and he knew exactly who he would use to do it.


End file.
